DAVIE - Nothing against the good professors of Utah State, but it took training camp with the
Dolphins for Shawn Murphy to finally master the art of note taking.
That's how much time
NFL players spend in classrooms, madly scribbling down plays and formations between wall-to-wall practice sessions.
"That was something I struggled with in college and even high school: taking notes," says Murphy, the second-year offensive guard. "It's something I've learned the importance of here. It's so important in the classroom sessions to write down everything you hear and really study it."
No digital recorders. No Cliffs Notes.
In fact, with the Dolphins' preference for a gentler "thudding" rather than real tackling in practice, there's almost a better chance of landing on the injury list with writer's cramp than most traditional football ailments.
That's how much this organization emphasizes the mental side of preparation during daily "installs."
